Best of the Rest

Of The Rest

Best Elected Official

Jay Fisette

If you appreciate Arlington’s bike trails, walkable neighborhoods and efforts to keep sprawl at bay, you can put Jay Fisette on your thank-you list.

An Arlington resident since 1983 and county board member since 1998, Fisette has made sustainability one of the pillars of his tenure, spearheading initiatives to reduce local carbon emissions and promote green business practices.

In 2005, he teamed up with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment to certify Arlington as a Community Wildlife Habitat. Since then, more than 1,000 county residents have modified their yards to welcome native species of birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects (his own house in Ashton Heights, where he lives with his partner, Bob Rosen, now has a pond out front).

Another priority? Face time. Fisette is often seen engaged in “walking town meetings” to gather feedback from residents and business owners, as he did last year when the county was considering placing limits on sidewalk signs. “He walked around taking pictures,” says Dale Roberts, owner of The Java Shack in Clarendon. “He makes an effort to solicit people’s thoughts on issues.”

After 15 years on the county board, Fisette says his enthusiasm for Arlington has only strengthened. “It’s a very dynamic community with smart people and lots of opportunity to improve the quality of life,” he says. “There’s always more to do here.”